Joomla is a CMS that is completely free and open source. This means that anyone, anywhere in the world, can create a professional website without paying for a licence, without hidden subscriptions and without dependence on a proprietary publisher. This freedom is one of the fundamental pillars of Joomla: the software is open, accessible and evolves thanks to its community. 

But this fact that it is free does not mean that Joomla has no economic value. Quite the contrary. Thousands of professionals make a living thanks to Joomla, precisely because it is free, robust and extensible.

Earning a living with Joomla: a robust professional ecosystem

Joomla enables the creation of genuine economic models. Examples include:

• web agencies that design and maintain websites for their clients,

• developers of customised solutions, who adapt Joomla to specific business needs,

• Template sellers who often use frameworks that are also free

• and, of course, the extension developers, who enhance the CMS with advanced features.

These extensions — free or commercial — are one of the key drivers of the Joomla ecosystem. They transform a generic CMS into a platform capable of meeting almost any need and turn end users into customers willing to pay for a service that benefits them.

Extension and template developers: at the heart of Joomla code

Developing a Joomla extension requires in-depth knowledge of the core CMS. API, MVC architecture, events, security, performance... Extension developers work every day with Joomla code, on Joomla code, and sometimes against its limitations.

This proximity to the code makes extension developers particularly well placed to understand:

• what works well,

• what can be improved,

• and what poses a problem in the long term.

Therefore, one thing is clear: when you know the code well, improving it becomes a logical next step.

Contributing to the heart: a natural step with multiple benefits

Participating in the development of Joomla is not just about writing code for fun. It also involves:

• helping millions of users around the world,

• improve the work of other developers, who rely on the core of the CMS,

• contribute to a better user experience, one that is smoother, more accessible, and more modern.

• develop one's own skills by working on a complex and structured project,

• ensure the sustainability of Joomla, and therefore its own economic model in the long term.

Contributing also means networking, exchanging ideas with experienced developers, collaborating with those who have been advancing Joomla for years... and, gradually, becoming a developer at heart yourself.

A direct impact on your extensions and your reputation

Improving Joomla also indirectly improves your own extensions. A cleaner, more stable and more efficient core allows you to create extensions that are more reliable, more elegant and easier to maintain.

Finally, contributing to the project enhances your professional reputation. You are no longer perceived as an opportunistic or occasional developer, but as a committed, reliable player who is in it for the long haul and actively participates in the ecosystem they use for their work.

How to join the Joomla adventure 

Contributing to Joomla is easier than you might think. You can start by:

• fix minor bugs,

• propose improvements,

• participate in code reviews, on the occasion of the PBF

• or assist with documentation and testing.

And this is just the beginning! 

As we always said, Joomla is the community! Governed by democratic rules! 

This means that extension developers can participate in the future of the CMS and coding choices, features to be added, and release schedule.

It all starts on community platforms and code repositories, with a sincere desire to help and advance the project.

Why not you?

Here are the perfect tools to jump in :

Help debugging : https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms

Find documentation : https://docs.joomla.org/Web_developers

Become a volonteer : https://volunteers.joomla.org/

Come and join a lively and vibrant community : https://joomlacommunity.cloud.mattermost.com

We are waiting for you !